Ponies, Purses, Parties and More! Everything You Need to Know About the 2017 Breeders' Cup

The 2017 Breeders' Cup is November 3rd and 4th at Del Mar Race Track. This is the first time this global sporting event has been in Del Mar. Besides, the horse racing, the Breeders' Cup features a week of festivities that attract the rich and famous from around the world. NBC 7's Todd Strain has everything you need to know as the Breeders' Cup draws near. (Published Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017)

The Del Mar Racetrack is home to action-packed horse races and fancy hats each summer but come the first weekend of November, the track in San Diego’s North County will play host to the world-renowned Breeders’ Cup.

As the seaside track’s fall Bing Crosby Season kicks off, the high-stakes 2017 Breeders’ Cup will take center stage Nov. 3 and Nov. 4, bringing 13 Grade I horse races with a total purse and awards totaling more than $28 million.

On Nov. 4, admission gates open at 8 a.m., with the first post at 10:10 a.m. There are nine races that day; the event culminates with the Breeders’ Cup Classic at 5:25 p.m., a $6 million race. The 1.4-mile race draws the top international thoroughbreds each year. Last year, Arrogate won the title, beating out fan favorite California Chrome.

General admission tickets to the Breeders’ Cup are sold out, but there are still a few high-end ticket packages available online. No tickets will be sold at the door.

If you’re one of the horse racing enthusiasts who scored a ticket, there are several ways to get to the track including ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft, taxis or the Amtrak and Coaster trains.

There's also a park-and-ride option available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. that include a shuttle that will take attendees to and from the Breeders Cup from three locations: Del Mar Horse Park Elijo Campus, Kilroy Realty Garage and MiraCosta College. Only attendees with pre-paid parking credentials will be allowed to park on-site at the Del Mar Racetrack.